Baelfire and the Boy Who Lived
by MyraValhallah
Summary: AU Three months after he is kidnapped the Dark One's three month old son is returned to his parents. Eleven years later a very different Harry Potter arrives at Hogwarts. Dumbledore should have known better than to trust a fairy to provide him with a saviour. Rumbelle and eventual Swanfire amongst others.
1. Prologue: Interception

**_ AU. Three months after the Dark One's new born son was abducted from Castle Charming he is returned by an unlikely source with the news that he has a destiny binding him to a land where magic's price is ignored the until he has fulfilled a prophecy demanding he either end a nosmically challenged sociopath or be ended by him._**

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_**Prologue: Interception**_

"Stand aside you foolish girl!"

Death stood in the shadows in the corner of the nursery, the mother was doomed but the child would live. The boy was what she was there for- Death needed him completely free of the influence of Albus Dumbledore; needed him better prepared for the job fate had allotted him, and for that there was only one place he could grow up, a place far outside the Dumbledore's reach. This way she could keep her liberty and regain her long stolen possessions.

Tom Riddle stepped cover the body of the woman who now stood at Death's side and prepared to finish the job he had started when he had taken the coward Pettigrew as his servant.

_"Not Harry, no..."_ Lily Potter wept beside her.

"_He will survive this night."_ Death assured the women who had defended a son she would never know was not truly her own. _"Go forth and join your husband, he waits for you."_

Lily Potter passed beyond the veil of death with a word of heartfelt thanks that she had not died in vain just as Riddle allowed his arrogance to destroy the last of what had once, in Death's humble opinion, been a very fine body. She clenched her fist, drawing the fragment of soul into her possession.

_"One down,"_ she remarked to nobody in particular; not that they'd hear her anyway. _"Seven to go."_

Death stepped into the room and scooped up the little boy. As soon as she touched him, the glamour upon him melted away revealing a handsome dark eyed, dark haired infant. A child whose parents were willing and very able to destroy their world in order to get him back. Death did not have time to deal with another apocalypse this century, she was still dealing with the backlog from Narnia.

_"Nearly time to go home little one."_ Death assured the baby. She waved her hand over the empty cradle and an image of the baby the world expected Harry Potter to be. _"There we go little Baelfire, you are free to grow as nature intended. Come, your parents are missing you."_

And with that, Death, and the child faded from the room as a batlike figure was pushing the door open to discover the carnage the noseless sociopath had wrought that night.

~V~


	2. One: Death's Deal

**_Thank you so much to everyone who has followed, favourites and/or reviewed the prologue, you guys are awsome :)_**

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_**One: Death's Deal**_

Three months. Ninety two days. It was no time at all given the length of the life of the dark one she'd married, but to Belle, every day since their son had been taken from them had seemed like an eternity.

Rumpel had gone mad; he had taken to spending days on end in his tower trying everything he could think of to find out what the blue bitch had done with Baelfire. For the first time since they were married Belle had begun to truly resent her husband's obsessive behaviour; she needed him now more than she ever had. Needed him to comfort her, to reassure her that they'd find Bae again. More than anything else she needed him to distract her, her beloved books were not up to the task of quelling her desire to reap her vengeance on the bitch who had taken her baby away.

The Blue Fairy had not been subtle in her disgust at A) the maiden who fallen for and married the Dark One; B) allowed herself to carry his child, and C) not drowned the beautiful boy as soon as he had drawn first breath. Blue could be horribly flexible in her rule about not causing harm to the innocent; although she knew that Blue and Rumpel had never seen eye to eye, Belle had never believed that the bitch would abduct their child. Well, never again would Belle put anything past the sanctimonious cow who was still viewed as the paragon of goodness.

_Thrung!_

Belle stiffened as the wards, stronger since Baelfire's abduction from his cradle, were triggered. She all but threw the book she had been attempting to read aside and allowed her blossoming magic to carry her down to the entrance hall. She arrived just in time to see a young blonde girl in flowing black robe, menacing scythe clasped in one purple nailed hand, the other arm was clutching something close to her chest.

_"White Lady." _Death greeted her with a polite incline of the head.

"Belle is fine, Lady Death," She assured the Horseperson of the Apocalypse, who she had met several times over the time she had lived in the Dark Castle. "What brings you to the castle?"

"_Then you must call me Hela,_" Death insisted, and suddenly she was all business. "_I found a little something that belongs to you._ _Call your husband, I have much to discuss with you._"

"No need dearie," Rumpelstiltskin announced from behind his wife. "I'm right here."

* * *

(_Three months earlier_)

The wedding had been lovely; while Belle knew it was just the official ceremony, and that Snow and James had truly been joined at the side of Lake Nostos, she loved a good wedding. Rumpel had behaved himself, hovering protectively at her side as she half watched her old friend tie the knot and half doted on her week old son.

Now though, her husband was off dealing with people who thought they were desperate, Bae was secure in their guest chamber taking his nap.

"I thought I saw you here."

Belle looked up and smiled at her ex fiancé. "Hello Gaston."

She and Gaston had managed to become very close since she had married Rumpelstiltskin- knowing that they were not going to be shackled together forever in a union that neither of them had wanted had taken the pressure off them and once their only regular communication was through letters the newly appointed White Enchantress and the new heir to the Avonlean throne had become great friends.

"That wizard of yours is a fool to let you out of his sight Belle."

"He trusts me," Belle assured him- and he did too. "Would you care to dance? Rumpel is off dealing and I haven't danced since I was three months pregnant.

"Boy or girl?" Gaston asked, leading Belle to the dance floor.

"Boy, Baelf..." She broke off, gasping in pain as the wards she had set up to monitor Bae collapsed. "Forgive me Gaston."

She tore from her friend's arms and ran from the ballroom. The sight of the empty cradle she found out in their guest chambers would haunt her for the rest of her days.

* * *

Her baby boy was home. Belle clutched him close, almost fearing that he would be spirited away again if she didn't. Bae had grown so much since in their time apart; his hair had grown in, dark downy curls now covered his scalp and when she looked into his eyes for the time in three months she found that the newborn blue had darkened to a beautiful whiskey brown. The only feature of her son's appearance which troubled her was the red raw lightning bolt now carved into his forehead.

Rumpelstiltskin however focussed on their visitor. Belle knew him well enough by now to know that he was trying to get rid of Hela before he allowed himself to show his paternal side.

"You returned our son to us Lady Death, but what do you have to gain from this?"

"_Many things,_" Hela assured him. "_Not least of which is a soul I have been hunting for a good many years now, since he began splitting himself to avoid our inevitable meeting. It is little Baelfire's fate to deliver him to me._"

"Why?" Belle asked, finally tearing her gaze from her son, to ask this question. "Why should Bae not be allowed to decide his own fate?"

It was Rumpelstiltskin who answered, placing a hand on their offspring's scarred brow, he shuddered. "He's bound by prophecy dearie."

Belle hated when he called her that; it was the word he used when dealing with people he little respected, like his regular clientele, but she could sense that this prophecy was troubling him.

"What is this prophecy darling?"

In the disturbing, trilling voice that Belle had come to associate with the darkest parts of her true love, Rumpelstiltskin answered:

"_The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches._

_A signal fire of hope to flicker in the darkness of war._

_The innocent born of two opposite lives, marked as an equal_

_And by magic lives bound to oppose._

_Two times ten lengths until time runs dry_

_To vanquish the foe else, together they die._"

The silence was deafening as the prophecy came to an end.

"Marked as an equal?" Belle echoed, staring at the jagged cut bisecting her baby's formerly smooth brow. "This _Dark Lord_ has picked _my_ son to be the one to kill him or die alongside him!"

Rumpelstiltskin almost did not trust himself to speak again- the message was clear; Baelfire had no choice in his life until he had fulfilled the prophecy. He could not allow himself to contemplate any alternative. "He will have to spend months at a time in that world- I see no way around that. He must locate the remaining pieces of this mad man's soul, but I see no reason that he must destroy each piece himself."

"_Indeed not,_" Hela agreed, reminding the worried couple of her presence in their home.

"Nor is there any reason for him not to have a normal childhood," Belle put in.

"Of course there isn't sweetheart." Rumpelstiltskin agreed then addressed their guest. "But you are keeping something from us dearie, come come spit it out. You want to make a deal with me, so let's hear it the whole story if you don't mind."

Hela nodded and far more willingly than Rumpel would have believed of the embodiment of Death, shared her tale. She is told them of three brothers who had tricked her into parting with three of her most prized possessions; a trifecta baring the oddly whimsical collective title of _the Deathly Hallows_ which, when brought together could be used to enthrall her. "_The boy will have to unite the Hallows in order to fulfil his destiny. I foresee a great deal of danger in the boy's adolescence- so I promise that I shall do everything in my power to keep the boy alive in exchange for the return of my property. Do we have a deal?_"

"Deal," Belle agreed immediately. Her husband stared at her in shock. She knew what he was thinking. These Deathly Hallows were precious, how could she think of allowing them to slip through their fingers? "Nothing is more important than my son's safety Hela, of course you have a deal. Right dear?"

"Indeed." Rumpelstiltskin nodded, reluctantly he shook hands with Death.

He refused to look at Belle but could hear the smile in her voice as she spoke the words which had brought them together three years earlier.

"The deal is struck."

~v~


	3. Two: The Price of Freedom

_**A nice early update for you darlings, thank you to everyone who has followed/favourites and reviewed since my last update.**_

_**And Guest: thank you, I hope my story can keep your interest :)**_

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Two: Regulus Black and the Price of Freedom

Faking his death was quite possibly the best thing that Regulus Black had ever done. He had found the portal hat in Knockturn Alley before his fifth year at Hogwarts and that had been that- he had commenced a double life, half the perfect pureblood heir of House Black, and half free spirited, half mad portal jumper, Jefferson Milliner. After Regulus had joined the Death Eaters, Jefferson had become ever more important to him: Jefferson had been his escape, and upon meeting a beautiful muggle miss during his travels Jefferson knew that Regulus had to die. And die he had; his chance had come when he had taken Kreacher to steal the Horcrux that his once master had left in that inferi guarded cave; the world thought him dead and Jefferson Milliner was free to live his life as he saw fit with the woman he had lost his troubled heart to. Well, that had been the plan.

The Dark Mark branded into his skin had remained active despite Jefferson being worlds away. The desperate desire to be free of the wretched tattoo was what had led to his continued association with Rumpelstiltskin. The price Jefferson had paid for the Mark's removal was to be at the Dark One's beck and call whenever he felt the need to visit another land.

"You screamed for me milord?" Jefferson drawled, entering the great hall of the Dark Castle early that morning. Since his 'death' Jefferson found himself adopting a personality that was ridiculously like his big brother's. It was a plus that Alice seemed to like him like that.

"I did." Rumpelstiltskin nodded, not rising from his chair at the long table. "Tea, Hatter?"

Jefferson froze- the Dark One was offering him tea? Had the worlds gone mad?

And what was that cooing noise? Sounded like a baby... Like the one sitting happily in the Dark One's lap. Only one child in all the worlds would sit so happily on Rumpelstiltskin's knee.

"Good gods, you found him!" Jefferson blurted.

Baelfire was his godson, before the baby's birth Jefferson had spent a lot of time with the Dark One's lovely lady wife and once he'd told her of the wizarding tradition of appointing babies godparents Belle had immediately asked him to be her child's godparent. Upon hearing that his godson was missing, Jefferson had begun to search the worlds for the baby.

"Yes Hatter," Rumpel nodded. "my son is home, but an unforeseen hitch has arisen which will require your assistance."

"Oh?" Jefferson asked, eyebrow raised. But before he could ask about this 'hitch' a whirlwind in blue burst into the hall.

"R-Rumpel...!" Belle looked to be on the verge of panic. "Rumpel, where is he? Tell me he really did come back to us!"

"Bar's right here sweetheart." Rumpelstiltskin assured his wife. "He was awake early and I didn't want to wake you."

Belle swept Baelfire up in her arms and for an insane moment Jefferson found himself resenting the child for the loving mother he had been born to.

"I'm sorry, hello Jefferson," the White Lady said, blushing slightly as she noticed Jefferson for the first time. "but when I saw the empty cradle I panicked."

"Its understandable darling," Rumpelstiltskin assured her, rising to kiss his spouse. "now sweetheart, have a seat and a cup of tea to calm your nerves."

Jefferson grinned, if it ever got out that the Dark One was such a soft touch with his wife, his centuries old reputation would lie in tatters.

"Sit down Hatter," Rumpelstiltskin bid him.

* * *

Albus Dumbledore knew that he should have been happy. He had his saviour, two thirds of the Deathly Hallows and now with the baby safely out of the way with Lily Potter's muggle relatives he had a decent amount of planning time. The child who had become Harry James Potter was, according to the fairy who had delivered him to Albus was the spawn of a demon and a naive little princess whom he had enthralled to believe she loved him. It was delightfully symmetrical really. However, sacrificing the Potters and allowing Sirius Black to an undeserved life sentence in Azkaban, did not sit well with him.

"Come now Albus," he chided himself. "Its for the greater good, remember that. There are always sacrifices in war."

Merlin's beard he needed a drink. Albus Dumbledore would find that over the following years he would drink a so much firewhiskey that he would be added to the distillery's Christmas card list.

* * *

"You were a long time dear," Alice said once Jefferson had arrived home. "what did Rumpelstiltskin want this time?"

"Baelfire has been found." He told her, sweeping her off her feet as he hugged her. "He's home cricket."

"Put me down!" She told him, laughing. Her tone became teasing. "Its wonderful that they found him; were you up at the Dark Castle celebrating and forgot to invite me? Are you so ashamed of me?"

"Never!" He declared, kissing her. "And most of the time I was there today was spent in planning."

"Planning for what?"

Jefferson settled himself in his chair, drawing Alice into his lap and; having no secrets from his wife; told her everything that The Rumpelstiltskin and Belle had told him. About Bae being taken to his homeland- incidentally the one world that he had not thought to check, and about the prophecy which bound his godson to the world he'd left behind.

"They want me to guide him through the wizarding world, cricket," he explained.

"And you're worried that someone you knew might recognise you?" Alice guessed.

"A little," Jefferson admitted. "but the prophecy worries me more- I don't want him to die before he's had the chance to really live."

Alice kissed him, running her fingers through his hair. "I'm sure it won't come to that. And if you'll allow me to take your mind off Baelfire for a moment I have something to tell you. I visited the hedge healer this morning..."

"Oh?" Jefferson cast his gaze over her. "There's nothing wrong is there?"

"No," she smiled and took one of his hands, guiding it to rest on her lower belly. "Jeff, you're to be a papa."

~v~


	4. Three: Rise of the White Enchantress

_**There is a lot of flashback in this chapter- it explains some of the deviation from Once Upon A Time cannon.**_

_**Once again thank you so much to everyone who has followed/favourited amd/or reviews this story since last week.**_

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Three: Rise of the White Enchantress

(Three years earlier)

'A kiss born of true love will break any curse.'

The woman's words resounded over and over again in Belle's mind- she would kiss Rumpelstiltskin and break the curse he was under and they could have their happy ending. The heir to the throne of Avonlea rushed back up the path to the Dark Castle ready to free her master from the curse which buried the man within the monster.

Belle let herself into the spinning room and sure enough, there he sat; spinning wheel slowing as he looked up at her.

"You're back already," he said with the ghost of a smile playing at the corners of that very kissable mouth. "Good... I mean. I'm all but out of straw."

Belle rolled her eyes. "You're happy that I'm back."

"Of course I am," he agreed immediately before backpedaling. "I mean, who else would fetch me my straw?"

Repressing the urge to laugh at her master, Belle moved to sit on the edge of the spinning wheel. "I've brought your straw now you have to tell me why I was the price of your deal for my kingdom's safety."

"I uh..." She didn't miss the way his eyes kept darting to her lips. "I told you sweetheart the place was filthy."

'Sweetheart?' If that wasn't an invitation to kiss him, Belle didn't know what was. She had always wanted to be brave, and leaning in to kiss this man was taking all of the courage she had. A sudden burst of confidence washed over her.

"Wrong answer," Belle told him huskily and captured his lips in a gentle kiss. The kiss set the young princess tingling all the way through her body from where their lips met right down to the tips of her toes. The tingle became a buzz; became a glow, a burning ache.

'What is this magic?' She wondered in panic right before the darkness rose up and swallowed her.

* * *

That kiss had started everything; and Belle had the woman, the evil queen to thank for her happy ending. She sat in the nursery singing a lullaby to Bae- her voice was nothing special, but her little boy didn't care. He teetered on the edge of sleep, gazing up at her with those beautiful whiskey eyes. It worried her that he didn't respond to his name- she knew that for the past three months he had been called Harry, but they'd change that. Children his age had short memories.

"Sleep Baelfire," she cooed, brushing her lips against his brow in a butterfly kiss. "Mama loves you so much Bae."

"And so does his papa."

Belle didn't flinch, she'd not known he was there, but for Bae's sake she refused to allow her husband to startle her. "And so does papa."

So saying she laid her sleeping son in his cradle and rose to meet his father.

"I thought you'd be in your tower until nightfall." She remarked once he'd kissed her. Rumpelstiltskin had retreated to his laboratory almost immediately after Jefferson had left.

"I had a potion to finish darling." He told her. "Come to the kitchen love, I have something to discuss with you and a need for tea."

"I almost wonder if you don't love tea more than you do me, dear." She teased him and followed him from the nursery confident that the wards that both of them had laced the room with would allow nothing but the air and light into the room.

* * *

(Three Years earlier)

Belle groaned and opened her eyes. Why was she in her bed? she'd been in the hall hadn't she? In the hall with Rumpelstiltskin and she'd kissed him.

"Oh good," she heard him say from the doorway. "You're awake."

She looked at the man she loved and was oddly relieved to see that her kiss had not broken his curse. " What happened Rumpel?"

"True love's kiss, darling." He told her and her heart leapt at the new endearment- better even than sweetheart.

"But your curse...?"

"Oh so you do know about that." Rumpelstiltskin said, evenly. "Well dear heart let me be the one to disabuse you of the notion of this," he gestured to his impish exterior. "being the result of a curse."

"It's not?"

"No," he crossed to her bedside and perched on the edge of the mattress. "The Dark One isn't a curse- it's... more of a symbiotic lifeforms. It needs a body to live in and in return it allows its host to use its magic, amongst other things- immortality and the like."

"Why are you telling me this?" She asked the usually tight lipped man who was her true love.

"You're my true love," he returned as if it should be obvious. "If I can't trust you, who can I?"

"I love you," she told him- touched by the trust he was putting in her.

He chuckled. "I know, and I you. Although I've never known True Love to bestow magic on a person before."

She froze. "What?"

"Belle darling, you have been unconscious for an entire day and in that time I've begun to feel phenomenal magical power in you. When it peaks I would guess you will rival, if not equal me in terms of power. Which is why I am very glad to have you on my side."

"Who says I am?" She asked, playfully.

"True love my darling," he purred, leaning in to kiss her. "I'd have my suspicions if our kiss hadn't had such an obvious effect on you."

* * *

"You want to bring down the Blue Fairy?" Belle echoed, staring at her husband over her teacup. "Rumpel, I know she's the monster who took Bae from us, but she has a lot of supporters all over the Enchanted Forest."

"Which is why we must be clever, darling." Rumpelstiltskin replied. "Prove that the so called paragon of light magic isn't as pure as she makes herself out to be. If she was, I'd get a lot less business."

"Alright," Belle nodded. "Let's get her."

~v~


	5. Four: Best Laid Plans

_**Once again, thank you to everyone who has followed, favourites and/or reviewed so far.**_

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_**Four: Best Laid Plans**_

Arabella Figg bounced the Boy Who Lived on her knee, unable to keep from joining in with his joy filled laughter. She felt so bad for little Harry, trapped with his mother's awful relatives. Harry had saved by the wizarding world and Albus had trapped him with those people for the next eleven years.

It would not be long before she had to stop playing with Harry- another year or so and she would be forced to make sure he did not have fun while she was looking after him. According to Albus, if Harry came to enjoy spending time in her home then his relatives would not allow him to return. Arabella for her part didn't see why Harry couldn't live with her full time- her home was close enough to Privet Drive that the blood wards would hold; she had asked, but Albus was adamant that Harry must remain under the Dursleys roof.

* * *

A year of hesitant courtship had followed Rumpelstiltskin and Belle's first kiss. A year of gradually coming to know each other, of learning to trust and of lessons in magic. Exactly twelve months after Belle had first kissed her master, Rumpelstiltskin asked for her hand. The wedding was a quiet affair- only the bride and groom, Jefferson and his lady love, Alice; and an insect who wished to be human again were in attendance. Rumpelstiltskin had the cricket preside over their wedding in exchange for his transformation back into a man.

One evening, days after celebrating their nuptials Rumpelstiltskin felt the pull of a desperate soul.

"Hurry back to me," Belle had said, as she sent him off with a kiss. "I've a need for my husband."

Had he been any of other man in the realm right then Rumpelstiltskin would have ignored the pull of that desperate soul. However being the Dark One carried certain responsibilities. He could not ignore true desperation.

It was a very reluctant Dark One who arrived in the courtyard of a somewhat dilapidated manor house just in time to see a carriage pull out of the gates.

It didn't take long at all to find the desperate soul who had summoned him, however inadvertently. She was younger than Belle, blonde and dressed in the tattered remains of a pink and white ball gown. She was also engaged in a one sided conversation with an obese grey mouse dressed in a green hat and waistcoat.

"I should never have got my hopes up, should I, Gus?"

The mouse proceeded to wash itself. The girl, who was clearly a good few coppers short of a full gold piece nodded.

"You're probably right Gus," sigh. "Who wants to go to a royal ball anyway- it'll only be dull and boring and completely..." Another, deeper sigh- Gus meanwhile, clearly the brains of the operation, had scuttled off back down his mousehole. "Completely wonderful."

And to think that he'd left his beautiful, brilliant bride at home for _this. _But he was here now, he had a job to do.

The girl had only wanted to go to the ball thrown in honour of the local heir to the throne's coming of age- Rumpelstiltskin had obliged, asking only a favour in return before hurrying home to his own happy ending.

* * *

Rumpelstiltskin had almost forgotten about the mad maid he had shipped off to the ball until the day one of Snow White's bluebirds flew into his home as he was playing with his now six month old son while Belle sat reading in her armchair. In the months since Hela had returned Bae to them, Rumpelstiltskin and Belle had managed to make him forget that he ever went by the name Harry Potter. It had been Bae who had spotted the avian messenger. He squealed excitedly at the sight of it, trying to follow its fluttering motions with his eyes.

The bird landed on Belle's knee, favouring the White Enchantress the Dark One. Belle set her book aside and scooped the bird up carrying it over to her husband who still sat on the floor with their son lying in his lap.

"I think this might be for you." She told Rumpelstiltskin. "Its time for his little Lordship's bath anyway."

The last time Rumpelstiltskin had given Bae a bath he had flooded the nursery. Belle had not been pleased, even when Rumpel had cleaned the mess up with a wave of his hand. Belle handed the little bird over to her spouse and took Bae in her arms, carrying him from the room.

The bird relayed a message about a princess called Ella wanting to make a deal with him. Rumpelstiltskin hadn't lived nearly three centuries as the Dark One by being trusting, and there was something _very _suspicious about Snow White sending a bluebird with a message about another princess. The Dark One arched his brow in suspicion- if this Ella was the maid with the mouse then gods' only knew what nonsense she had spread about. He needed to check this out. Rumpelstiltskin waved his hand and a note appeared on the table for his wife, telling her where he was going- just in case his suspicions proved accurate- and left the castle.

* * *

Things were all going swimmingly. The baby was a way from his demonic sire- and without the baby the poor girl who believed herself in love with the Dark One, (Ha!) would be free to return to her father and fiance once the odious imp was safely locked away. When she had first been summoned to king Herman's castle, and heard the dear girl that Prince Thomas had married- Ella's story about a deal with Rumpelstiltskin, she had been sceptical. Dark One had, apparently sent young Ella to the Ball in exchange for an unnamed favour. After the wedding, Rumpelstiltskin had come to her to demand her firstborn child as payment.

However, Blue could not ignore the fact that she had taken the Dark One's son. Any creature which had the urge to reproduce would be driven to desperation; it was hardly a stretch of the imagination that Rumpelstiltskin wanted the babe to replace little _Baelfire._ A plan formed in Blue's mind- she wasn't given to lying, but surely _two_ babes would attract the demon's interest far more than just one.

* * *

It was just as he thought. Ruehl Gorm's glitter strewn fingerprints were indeed all over this 'deal'. Rumpelstiltskin skulked in the shadows, in the guise of a bat. The cage they were going to lock him in was possibly the worst place he had ever set foot. Regina had done more harm as she followed in her dear old mama's footsteps than he had in his centuries as the Dark One and yet she had been given a fancy castle and servants to keep her company until she dropped dead.

What in the gods' name were they talking about: fake second baby? He'd asked for a favour, he didn't need a royal babe- less so now that he had his son back. The cage also reeked of fairy magic. He was _not_ going to enjoy any of his time- however brief- in this Thing. Fortunately for him the blue bitch hadn't reckoned on his beautiful Belle.

He just hoped that she wasn't going to be _too_ angry at him for this.

* * *

"Well well," Ella flinched at the sound of that high pitched nasal voice. "You're starting to show."

The princess turned to face the Dark One who wanted her baby. The Blue fairy had said that he would take the bait. "Rumpelstiltskin."

"A little bird said you wanted to see me," the imp remarked. "Something about a new deal?"

Ella nodded. "I'm having twins."

"Are you really?" The Dark One asked, sounding disinterested. "Why are you telling me this?"

"Because our kingdom is poor- our crops are dying." Ella told him. Hoping he would take the bait. "In return for our continued prosperity I'll give up both- I can always have more children."

There was a few moments of silence, as he observed her. She prayed that he believed him.

"Alright," the Dark One nodded, stepping towards her. "let's have a look."

'_Oh gods_,' how had she forgotten the- apparently true- rumours of his second sight? She tried not to recoil as he laid his hands over her belly.

"Alright dearie," Rumpelstiltskin stepped away from her. "You've got yourself a deal."

~v~

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_**Next time: Belle discovers what happened to her husband and Blue discovers that her days as a Fairy Patron may be numbered.**_


	6. Five: Cold Fury

_**I' m so sorry this is late, real life gets in the way.**_

_**Thank you to everyonewho's followed,favourites and/or reviewed this story since the last chapter- you guys rock :)**_

* * *

Five: Cold Fury.

Belle was worried, Rumpelstiltskin had gone out to respond to a message from Snow and he had not come home yet. Since the day Belle had told him she was pregnant with Bae, Rumpel had never stayed away from the castle for so long; and when he had to travel far he took Belle and Bae with him. Bae sat in his baby chair, drinking his morning milk when she found the note. It was probably a good thing she wasn't holding her son because she might have dropped him in shock at what he had written.

Belle stared at the note in disbelief. Being the Dark One's wife, she was used to Rumpelstiltskin's disappearances- he had been doing so ever since he had first come into her life. But this...?

'My Darling Belle,' the note began in her husband's swirly cursive handwriting.

'If I am not back by morning then you'll likely find me at the 'mercy' of the Charmings, and a certain sanctimonious harpy. If so, please fetch contract #...' There followed a very large number. 'to Castle Charming.

It may also be the right time to reintroduce Bae to "High Society"

Love you,

R.'

Belle rolled her eyes. Rumpelstiltskin had showed her how to access his vault of contracts. She did so now. The contract in question appeared in her hand and she sat, summoning a pot of tea from the kitchen, beside her son and read the contract.

The contract was for a what Rumpelstiltskin termed 'the full royal ball experience'. He offered a gown, carriage, dinner and dancing- and oddly, a pair of glass slippers. All in exchange for a favour. Whatever her true love was planning had better be good, and it had better bloody work.

The White Enchantress ran her hand through her curls and, lingering only to finish a light breakfast before sweeping Bae up into her arms and to prepare him for their impromptu appearance at the Royal Court.

* * *

"Lady Belle?" Charming rose from his throne as the beautiful Enchantress swept into the throne room.

She radiated so much power that the effect of her flowing, regal, white-blue gown she wore was not diminished by what appeared to be a papoose on her back.

"David," Belle returned, not caring a whit about anyone hearing her use his given name. "Where is Snow?"

"Belle?" the fairest of them all gasped, entering as if on cue through a small door near the thrones. "What brings you here?"

"Where is he?" Belle demanded, in no mood to exchange pleasantries with the young queen- friend or not.

"Where is who?" Snow asked, puzzled.

"Who do you think, Snow?" Belle hissed, the silk of her sleeves flowing like water as the Enchantress folded her arms. "Your bluebird turned cup at our castle last evening, and now my husband is missing, leaving only a note of instructions to come here with a contract and my son."

"You found Baelfire?" Snow gasped, clearly delighted. Finally noticing the second, small head popping up out of Belle's left shoulder. "How lovely."

Belle refused to be swayed by this attempt to change the subject. "Yes, and he needs his father. Now where is he?"

"He is locked up," Charming declared, proudly. "for the good of the kingdom."

A noise of very feline irritation rose from the Dark One's wife. She threw back her head and roared. "Ruehl Form, I summon thee!"

It was a little known fact that any magic user can be summoned in this way as long as one knew their true name. Sure enough, the Blue Fairy appeared in the throne room.

"Princess Belle," the fairy smiled beatifically, bobbing a mid air curtsey to the ex-heir to the Avonlean throne.

"White Lady if you don't mind Ruehl Form." Belle drawled regally. "Now tell me why, and how, my husband came to be locked up?"

The Blue Fairy seemed to preen. She told Belle, triumphantly, about how Rumpelstiltskin had crashed prince Thomas' wedding Ball and told the bride that what he sought in return for sending her to the ball was her firstborn.

"Ella is now pregnant," the fairy reported, proud as a peacock. "It seemed the perfect way to rid our land of the Dark One's menace once and for all. Desperate for a child, your husband took the bait and we trapped him with Squid Ink and Fairy Magic."

Belle snorted. "Desperate for a child?" She echoed. "We aren't desperate for a child- we have a wonderful son, whose kidnapping you still haven't answered for I might add."

"What?" Snow and Charming's voices mingled in shocked harmony.

"Blue," Snow continued, horrified. "Baelfire is an infant, how could you take him?"

"You speak as if Rumpelstiltskin has never stolen a child."

Belle's eyes narrowed. Her husband did not take children unless he was dealing with a parent who might prove unable to raise it; and then only if he had a suitable home lined up for it. "My husband never gave a child to a guardian who might put it at risk- whereas you gave my son to a man who was willing to deliberately risk a baby's life in order to create a disposable saviour."

"How do you...?" And then Blue blanched, her ancient, dark eyes finally taking notice of the infant she had once stolen. A child that she knew for a fact was now living with his adoptive mother's family. Dark eyes; which Blue could only assume he had inherited from his father's human host; watched her from over his mother's shoulder. "Ah."

"Ah," Belle agreed, then clearly addressing the infant she said. "Say hello sweetheart."

The baby babbled and then began to suck his fist.

"Now," the White Enchantress continued, in a businesslike manner, to the room at large. "About my husband..."

* * *

Rumpelstiltskin was having a quiet moment; taking a quick break from terrorising his guards; when the message came. He had been pretending to take a catnap, fantasizing about the possibility of, and the fun involved with, making Bae a couple of brothers and sisters to terrorise when he heard the approach of a man and an animal.

The Charmings had, he recalled, done their best to reunite Regina's pets with their hearts when they had exiled her. He really should drop in on her one of these days- if only to see whether the rumours of her cohabiting with that thief- the one who Belle had... sweet talked him into letting off- and his band of drunks- ah, Merry Men were true.

"The king and queen want to see him in the throne room." The huntsman stated, drawing Rumpelstiltskin back to the present.

"But he isn't allowed out of the cell!" Stephan- his favourite guard- stated, deliciously panicked.

There was the chink of metal on metal and the huntsman said. "That is why the Blue Fairy gave us these. He cannot escape them, or use his magic while wearing them."

'Oh how fun,' Rumpelstiltskin thought darkly, as the cell door opened and closed and the handcuffs which the oversized gnat had waved her wand over. His skin crawled as the metal closed around his wrists.

"I'm flattered dearie," he quipped, not opening his eyes , but relishing the startled gasps of his guards as they realized he had not in fact been sleeping. "But since none of you is my wife, I'm afraid I'll have to decline."

Nevertheless he allowed his guards to lead him out of his cell.

* * *

Ella was taking some air in the palace gardens- her father in law was rather particular about the sort of exercise she was allowed. She was more than a little surprised then when the Blue Fairy appeared before her and told her that there was an issue regarding the Dark One's incarceration. She couldn't allow that- not after her fear-borne lies had led to Rumpelstiltskin's imprisonment.

"Come to the throne room, Thomas and the king should hear about this."

An hour later King Herman, Prince Thomas and Princess Ella stood in the antechamber of Castle Charming's throne room. Ella shifted, deeply uncomfortable, and worried for her child. The Blue Fairy had returned to the throne room after their arrival and the three visiting royals waited to be allowed entrance.

The door opened and a footman put his head around the door."You may come in now Your Majesty, Highnesses."

* * *

Rumpelstiltskin stepped into the throne room and his gaze instantly found Belle, she sat in Snow White's throne, bouncing Bae almost lazily on her knee. She met his gaze and in that moment, Rumpelstiltskin saw that she was not happy with him.

It might be a while before he got the chance to become a father again.

Oh bugger.

~v~

* * *

_**Next time:**__** certain truths come to light, a new fairy joins the Charmings court, and the Enchanted Forest baby boom continues.**_


	7. Six: Facing the Consequences

_**Thank you to every new follower and/or favourite this story has received since my last update. Massive thanks to my reviewers hope y'all like my latest chapter.**_

* * *

Six: Facing the Consequences

Jefferson emerged from his portal and scooped up the hat, plonking it on his head as he walked back up the path towards his home. Alice was having the strangest of cravings. He knew that women went through these things; remembered finding it rather amusing to see powerful men like Lucius Malfoy, Alvin Nott and even Rumpelstiltskin himself, sent scrambling to satisfy their wives need for bizarre food combinations. It was his turn now though. His wife, whom he had met in Wonderland, wanted buttered fingers and faddish preserve- both Wonderlandian delicacies.

The portal jumper let himself in to his home and was promptly pounced upon by his beautiful wife.

"Did you get them?" She demanded, scrabbling at his pockets which he had enlarged when he had made the coat. "Tell me you did!"

"Of course I did, cricket," Jefferson smiled, patting the pocket in which her current craving was stored. "Let me in first though, eh love."

* * *

"Who are you?" Ella asked Belle. "Another mother who Rumpelstiltskin tried to rob of their baby?"

Despite himself, Rumpelstiltskin found himself pitying the cinder-princess a little. The part of him, still purely the gentle spinner thought that the girl was hoping to find a friend in his Belle; but any fool could see that the question, innocent or not, was the wrong one to ask.

Belle drew herself up to her full height. "Neither of us is in any danger of losing a child to the Dark One: me because of an accord we have..."

Rumpelstiltskin was immensely proud of his Beauty, while she was proud to be able to call herself his wife and mother to his son, Belle knew better than to declare their relationship to those he deemed untrustworthy.

"... and you, because I know for a fact that the contract you signed asked for a favour, not your child." Belle continued, during Rumpelstiltskin's silent moment of spousal pride.

"H-how do you know that for sure?" Ella asked, voice wavering slightly.

Belle raised one hand and the contract appeared in it. The young princess gulped. Belle gave a thin smile. "I see you understand what this is, but for those who are unaware, I hold in my hand a very specific agreement signed by both Dark One and one Ella Tremaine- now Princess Ella, consort to Prince Thomas of Pressia for a full ball experience in exchange for a favour of his choosing."

"How can you hold such clout with the Dark One that you can band his contracts around?" Prince Thomas asked Belle, more curious than demanding.

"This is the White Enchantress," Snow told him. "The most powerful light magic user of human born. She was instrumental in the capture of the former Queen Regina."

"Thank you Snow," Belle nodded in her friend's direction. "Now Ella, tell us true, did the Dark One make any designs on your child? Prior to the missive which arrived at the Dark Castle..."

"No," Ella mumbled.

Belle blinked deliberately and her lips curled into a saccharine smile as she said sweetly. "I'm sorry, but you're going to have to repeat that, so everyone can hear you."

"No!" Ella repeated loudly. "No Rumpelstiltskin didn't want my baby!"

"And he still doesn't dearie," Rumpelstiltskin declared, speaking up for the first time since the Pressian royals had entered the throne room. "In fact I may never collect- would you like that princess? Your kingdom forever in the Dark One's debt?"

Ella cried out and reached out for her husband.

"You can't do that!" King Herman cried, unable to hold his peace any longer.

"Actually he can," Belle told him. "Actually this is more lenient than I would have supposed?"

"I do reserve the right to add to their punishment later, m'lady." Rumpelstiltskin remarked lightly. He probably wouldn't though- really Belle was more worked up by the whole locking up thing than he was himself. "There is still the matter of our shared grievance with the Blue Fairy though?"

The Dark One could see the visiting royals wondering what shared grievance he and Belle could possibly have against the 'paragon of light magic' but banished them back to their kingdom before they could so much as ask.

"It seems to me, that any fairy who would so much as dream of endangering an innocent should not hold any sway in a human nation." Snow put in, surprising the whole room. "I do not think I want such a fairy to play a role of patronage in my kingdom."

"... but Snow...?" The Blue fairy blustered. "I have been fairy patron to your family for centuries."

"Yes, and I thank you for those years, but I cannot ignore this... Not now. I would prefer a different fairy to fill the role for future generations though."

"But Snow...?" Her husband put in ready to defend the fairy leader.

"You know what she did to them Charming," Snow shook her head. "I cannot take the risk..." Her hand ghosted over her lower belly in a telltale manner.

"I would never...!" Blue insisted.

"You already have," Snow and Belle countered in unison. One pulling her son close, the other drawing both hands defensively over her still flat belly.

"You mean you're...?" Charming gasped staring at Snow in shock and wonder.

"Seems congratulations are in order eh, dearie?" Rumpelstiltskin grinned. "Welcome to the club."

Blue looked about ready to spit.

"Very well," she nodded stiffly. "I shall send a suitable candidate for my replacement."

"Not necessary, Blue, but thank you all the same." Snow's smile was positively wicked. "I have a name in mind, a fairy I've heard nothing but good things about. Nova."

Rumpelstiltskin didn't know the name but Belle, it seemed did, if her smile was anything to go by.

Blue narrowed her eyes. Belle however, was not about to let the tsetse fly have an inch.

"Nova!" She shouted, Bae looked up at her, puzzled by her shouting. "Nova I summon thee!"

A young fairy with red-brown hair and a pink jellyfish dress appeared.

"Nova?" Snow White asked, kindly.

"Yes," the young fairy nodded, wide eyes growing even further at the sight of Blue. "but you're supposed to call me Pink."

"Whatever you prefer," Snow nodded. "We called you here to offer you a place at court as fairy patron."

A deep red blush spread over Nova's face as she stammered. "M-me? But I thought Blue..."

"We feel it time for a change of pace," Charming informed her, taking Snow's hand to offer a united front. "A new fairy for a new generation of our family."

"I..." Nova was speechless now. "Yes. Yes, it would be an honour."

"Think you can go now, dearie." Rumpelstiltskin told Blue.

Blue scowled at him, murderously. "You put them up to this, didn't you?"

"Me? Oh no dearie, I didn't have to." Rumpelstiltskin smirked at his longest standing enemy. "Never underestimate a parent's willingness to fight for their child."

A decidedly purple faced Blue Fairy disappeared from the throne room of castle Charming.

* * *

Belle was dressed in her more typical style by the time they arrived back in the Dark Castle. She scooped Bae out of her husband's arms where he had been since Blue had left Snow White's employ and swept from the hall.

"Sweetheart, where are you going?" He asked.

"Avonlea," she told him without turning to face him. "Papa has been itching to see his grandson again. We'll be back by Bae's bedtime. Though if you so much as try to come into my bed tonight Dark One or no Dark One, you'll wish you'd never been born."

* * *

(Meanwhile)

Sirius Orion Black lay with his head on his paws. Azkaban was almost bearable when in his canine form. He had known that being an unregistered animagus would come in handy when he, James and the treacherous little worm had taken on the task back in third year to help Remus with his furry little problem. He hadn't anticipated this use though.

Sirius' thoughts turned once again to Harry. Thanks to his hotheaded idiocy, his innocent little godson was forced to spend his childhood with Lily's mediaeval minded muggle relatives. Maybe one day he would be the godfather that James and Lily's son deserved. One day if that slimy little shit Pettigrew slipped up...

~v~

* * *

_**Next time: Time passes in both worlds; babies are born, children grow up and Dumbledore begins his master plan.**_


	8. Seven: Each in Their Season

_**Hi guys,**_

_**This chapter is a bit shorter than the others- they're going to get quite a bit longer from here on out. I hope you enjoy it.**_

_**Thanks as ever to everyone who has followed, favourited and/or reviewed since last time.**_

* * *

_**Seven: Each In Their Season**_

Bae didn't know where the baby had come from. It came with untle Jeff and auntie Alice sometimes. Bae didn't like the baby. He didn't like how mama talked more to the baby than she did to him. Papa even cuddled and talked to it.

Would the baby ever go away?

* * *

He should have tried this pet business _years _ago. A roof over his head, plenty of food and a nice warm place to sleep. The fact that his new home was the Weasley residence- thus close enough to Dumbledore to keep tabs on anything that might put his newfound domestic bliss at risk was just an added bonus.

The new name left a lot to be desired though- Scabbers? Honestly, it was actually worse than Wormtail. There was also the fact that there were two little Marauders in training, and two babies in the house- but if he kept quiet and out of sight during his snooping he would be fine.

* * *

Boy was hungry. Boy was cold. Boy had a poorly head from where he had bumped it when he had fallen over Duddy's blocks; and a poorly bum from untle Vernon had smacked him.

If he wished really hard, sometimes Boy could play pretend that he had a mummy and daddy who loved him like auntie Tuney and untle Vernon did Duddy. After that the nasty green flash happened. The nasty green flash was why Boy lived in the cupboard.

* * *

"There's one!" Grace cried out, pointing towards a large bush.

Baelfire looked around. "Where?"

"Under the bush,"

Belle watched her son and god-daughter as they chased frogs in the castle gardens. At four years old the two children were close as siblings, despite the jealousy that Bae had displayed towards Grace when they were small.

"Are they still looking for frogs?" Alice asked from the table.

"Yes," Belle nodded. Frog-hunting was the pair's new favourite game, they could spend hours at it; even if most of the time they caught nothing.

Alice and Grace had come to visit while Jefferson and Rumpelstiltskin were off in a different land on business. Once upon a time, if you had told young Princess Belle that she would one day have a friend like Alice she would have laughed at you; she had always been considered odd, and the notion that there might be another woman like her had been unthinkable.

The kettle whistled on the fire, announcing that the water was boiled. Belle waved her hand in its direction and brought it floating gently over to the sink where the teapot was waiting. Allowing the kettle to fill the pot by itself, Belle pushed open the window.

"Bae, Grace, it's time for tea!"

* * *

"H-a-r-r-y," Harry Potter read as Mrs Murphy, his new teacher followed the letters with her finger.

"Very good, Harry!" Mrs Murphy enthused. "Go and put a star on your star chart."

Four year old Harry; who was still getting used to the fact that his name was not Boy; nearly burst into tears. He tried his very best not to though because last time he had he had gotten a smack and sent to his cupboard for being silly. Harry trotted across the classroom from the writing table to the star charts and pushed the star shaped stamper against the paper for his bag group.

* * *

In nineteen seventy eight, Peter Pettigrew had left Hogwarts and had believed that he would miss the place. While he had been right in that assumption, returning over a decade later was a strange experience. Scabbers the rat had accompanied Percy Weasley- the boy who had bestowed the awful name upon him- and found himself sleeping in the very bed which he had for his seven years as a student. It would likely take him a while not to look up every time the dormitory door opened in fear, or hope (which was worse really) of seeing Moony, Padfoot or Prongs.

* * *

"What is the first rule of magic?" Rumpelstiltskin asked his son.

Belle stood in the doorway to the schoolroom watching her little boy's first magic lesson. The school room was an otherwise unused space simply because Bae was too young to be allowed in the laboratory. Rumpel had started the lesson by drawing from their child a solemn promise that he would not use any magic outside of this room until both of his parents felt that he was ready.

Normally, a sorcerer didn't start learning until well into their teens, but because of the destiny Bae had to face, she and Rumpel had agreed, after much deliberation, to begin his education early.

"Magic always comes with a price," nine year old Baelfire recited, eagerly.

The Dare One smiled. "Very good Bae."

The smile only grew as Bae beamed at the praise. "Now son, do you want to try to light a candle?"

Bae nodded. And Rumpel placed a beeswax candle before him.

Most of what Bae would be learning was magical theory, at least to begin with, but a few simple spells here and there would not trouble him.

Bae tried a number of times to get the candle to light, each one in vain before his father took pity on him.

"Magic is emotion, son," he explained. "How did you feel when mama and I told you we were going to start teaching you magic?"

"Really happy?" Bae replied uncertainly.

Belle smiled, remembering how it felt to think an answer couldn't be as easy as it actually was.

"Don't ask me, tell me," Rumpelstiltskin encouraged.

"Really happy!" Bae declared. "I felt really happy."

"Good," Rumpelstiltskin nodded, satisfied. "Hold onto that feeling now lad, and use it to light the candle."

Bae closed his eyes and after a few moments, he waved his hand over the candle wick and a tiny flame burst into life.

~v~

* * *

_**Next time: Its two years later and the wizarding world comes a calling.**_

_**Question: Should Bae go to Hogwarts under his real name or should he go as Harry Potter? I can't decide.**_


	9. Eight: And So It Begins

_**You were pretty much unanimously in favour of Bae going to Hogwarts as himself rather than under the name Harry Potter. Can't say I'm surprised.**_

_**As ever thank you to everyone who has followed and/or favourited this story since my last update. And special thanks to my lovely reviewers :)**_

* * *

Eight: And So It Begins

July 1991

Each July since she had been appointed Deputy Headmistress, Minerva McGonagall had overseen the dispatchment of that Septembers acceptance letters. It wasn't a taxing job, mostly just overseeing the house elves as they sent the letters from the owlery. The big job came later when she had to go through the replies to compile the final list for the sorting ceremony.

She failed to notice the hand which rifled through the pile of letters and drew out one particular envelope before it and it's owner slipped, totally unperceived, from the castle.

* * *

Rumpelstiltskin stood in his laboratory watching his son and the oaf spar in the garden below. Strictly speaking Rumpel wasn't allowed to call prince Gaston an oaf- but as mind reading was not one of his lovely wife's many talents so as long as he remained outwardly civil with his true love's ex-fiancé it wasn't an issue. Either way, the knight turned heir apparent was on his land, teaching his son on his father-in-law's say so since his tenth birthday, almost a year ago. Baelfire was technically Avonlean royalty despite his mother's forfeiting her birthright and King Maurice insisted that the boy be taught by a knight rather than his sorcerer father.

Something about the air in the laboratory changed. Rumpelstiltskin had become accustomed to this particular change in atmosphere over the past eleven years.

"Hela," he greeted her, not turning to face anthropomorphic personification who had managed to almost become a member of the hodgepodge that he and Belle called an extended family. "What a surprise, shall I set up the chess board?"

_"Rumpelstiltskin,"_ she returned. "_I regret that this is not a social call. Our deal is about to come to fruition_."

Only now did the Dark One turn to look at Hela. Death held up a little paper packet with

_Mr H_ . _Potter_

_The cupboard under the stairs_

_4Privet Drive_

_Little Whinging_

_Surrey_

written on the back in lurid green ink.

"The letter," Rumpelstiltskin said feeling oddly detached from himself as he took the letter. Jefferson often did not have very much to say about the world of his birth but he had spoken of Hogwarts and of the letters his kind received if accepted into the wizarding school. "Th-thank you Hela."

There was no reply. Rumpelstiltskin wasn't surprised by Death's abrupt departure. She was an extremely busy woman. Still, the Dark One shook his head. He glanced back out of the window, Bae and the Oaf seemed to have finished their sword lesson.

Good, this was a family matter and Prince Mini-brain did not qualify. Rumpelstiltskin swept from the laboratory and descended the stairs to deliver his son's marching orders.

* * *

"They make him sleep in a cupboard Belle, a cupboard!" Rumpelstiltskin hissed, pacing like a caged tiger at the end of their bed. "How can you be so gods-damn calm about this!"

"Because that boy isn't real, darling," Belle returned tiredly, settling back against the pillows. "Are you coming to bed?"

Truth be told Belle was absolutely livid at the way her son's decoy appeared to be being treated by his guardians, but it was very late and the White Lady was overwhelmingly tired just now. Following the arrival of the letter addressed to Harry Potter, the day had been very long and emotionally taxing. Bae had been very quiet after reading the letter. His only verbal recognition of having read the thing had been: "They got my name wrong."

"You cannot expect me to let this stand Belle," Rumpelstiltskin growled. "I will not let this stand!"

I don't expect you to dear," Belle admitted. "But what I do expect you to do right now is come and hold your wife. I don't feel like sleeping alone tonight and if you're not in bed in five seconds Rumpelstiltskin, I'm going to go and sleep in Bae's room."

She wouldn't of course, but Rumpelstiltskin hated sleeping alone as much as she did. It worked though and minutes later, the White Enchantress was drifting off to sleep in her husband's arms.

* * *

Dawn broke over the Dark Mountains, observed only by the youngest member of the household. Sleep had eluded Bae for the most part and he had been up for hours by sunrise, watching the sky lighten from his window seat. Yes, Baelfire knew that he had to go to Hogwarts if he wanted to live beyond twenty; of course he did, he wanted to live for as long as possible; but if he was to go off to a different land and fulfill a destiny which should never have been his in the first place he was going to be known by his own name.

"We expect your owl no later than the 31st July," the letter had concluded, and while Bae didn't have an owl, his writing box could deliver a letter to anywhere in any land. Bae crossed to his desk, took out parchment and quill and began to write, using the name they used for Papa down in town- Lord Gold- as a replacement for 'Potter'. When he was finished, Baelfire Gold placed the letter in his writing box closed the lid and waved his hand over it to send send the letter.

* * *

_Dear Professor McGonagall,_

_My name is Baelfire, but you might know of me by the name Harry Potter. I have received my Hogwarts acceptance letter and will be there on the first day of September._

_Yours sincerely_

_Baelfire Gold._

Minerva McGonagall's lips twitched. Apparently Albus' plan to let Harry Potter grow up away from his fame had worked rather better than he had anticipated. Minerva wasn't at all surprised by the fact that the boy didn't seem to have been raised by his relatives- Albus Dumbledore was many things but entirely sane was not one of them. For the past eleven years Minerva had argued with herself about the possibility of taking the boy and raising him herself- the Dursleys had not seemed like fit guardians for their own son, never mind the Boy Who Lived. Fate apparently agreed with her assessment.

"Gold, Baelfire," Minerva dictated and the name appeared on the Sorting List below _Granger, Hermione._

The Scottish witch grinned and set Mr Gold's reply aside and picking up the next. She was not going to tell Albus about this development until the boy was safely sorted. Friend and superior though he was, Albus Dumbledore needed to learn that he was not right all the time.

* * *

Two days after the arrival of the Hogwarts letter Bae was sitting at bottom of the great staircase, waiting for his godfather. Jefferson was taking him to purchase his school supplies, and while Bae remained reluctant to go through with this wizard school business, he was beginning to get excited. This his first trip to another realm- the three months he spent as Harry Potter didn't count because he had been a baby then and didn't remember any of it beyond a green flash which had ended many a nightmare. There was also the appeal of making friends who didn't care that he was the Dark One's son.

"You take care of my son Hatter, you hear me?" The door to the papa's study opened and mama's voice reached Bae's ears. Mama had been snippy for the past few days and Bae supposed it must be because she was worried about him going so far away.

"My word as a portal jumper my Lady," Jefferson returned. "My hand to the gods, if I don't bring him home in one piece I will volunteer for a one way trip to Oz."

"We'll have that in writing if you don't mind Hatter," Papa put in.

Bae heard Jefferson groan, a minute or so later his godfather and parents descended the stairs.

"You ready to go then Bae?" Jefferson asked.

"Yeah," Bae nodded, rising. "See you later mama, papa."

Any hopes that Bae had entertained of a quick getaway were dashed by his mother pulling him close and kissing his forehead. "Be safe sweetheart, and have fun."

Bae drew back in typical ten year old mortification, at his mother's fussing. "Nothing's going to happen mama, uncle Jeff won't let it."

"Alright Baelfire," Jefferson laid a hand on his shoulder. "Let's be off, lots to buy."

* * *

Albus Dumbledore didn't often take a morning snooze, but that morning he had chosen to indulge, safe in the knowledge that his would be saviour was on his way. Minerva had told him that she had received Harry's reply.

_Hweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!_

Albus jerked awake as the ward sensor monitoring number four Privet Drive began to scream. His eyes opened just in time to see the spindly silver item tremble violently on its plinth and...

"Oh shit!" The grandfatherly headmaster swore ducking behind his desk as the sensor exploded.

This was not good. Something had happened to Harry. Rising, and refusing to look at the damage until he returned, Albus disapparated, needing to find out what happened to his saviour.

* * *

Jefferson swore as his promise to protect his godson broke itself the second he and Bae set foot on English soil. Baelfire doubled over, clutching his head. The portal jumper swept the boy up in his arms and carried him over to a nearby bench. His godson whimpered.

"M'sorry uncle Vernon," he mumbled into Jefferson's chest. "One minute the glass was there, the next it was gone. It was like magic!"

"Bae?" Jefferson panicked, brown eyes rolled in their sockets. "Bae, what's wrong?"

"Nothing," The eyes were clear when Bae spoke again. " but I can remember being Harry Potter.

~v~

* * *

_**Next time: We find out just what happened to Bae, and the first of Voldemort's Horcrues is destroyed. **_


End file.
